


Dead Falls 3: Infection

by SamuelSadi



Series: Dead Falls: (Zombie AU) [3]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Gen, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:01:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28266567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SamuelSadi/pseuds/SamuelSadi
Summary: Third installment of Dead Falls
Relationships: Pacifica Northwest/Mabel Pines, Wendy Corduroy/Dipper Pines
Series: Dead Falls: (Zombie AU) [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1070652
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

( Author's Note )

Hey, Everyone. Long time no talk. Even in the other fictions I do, I've left out an Author's Note, so I haven't written one in a while. But I thought it was finally time to get Dead Falls: Infected started. I don't know how many of you are still reading, but if you are a reader that's been with me since the beginning, welcome back. If you're a new reader; Welcome. I hope

( Dipper Pines )

Dipper made his fifth round of the school he and Mabel were in. Checking every chained door, making sure every window on the ground floor was barricaded, with boards, and metal repurposed from the desks. Normal infected people were kept out by just wood, but this Apex predator was much stronger. Him and Mabel had taken Black Beauty and left the sanctuary of the Corduroy's safe haven.

Again.

Not that they had wanted to, but this predator seemed to only be tracking them. Him and Mabel. Since the talking infected had referred to the thing as a 'tracker' it did make sense.

Once Dipper had figured out it was tracking him and Mabel, they decided to leave the camp and get away until they figured out how to shake the thing. At first they had driven hundreds of miles, through mountains, through curvy forest roads, pretty much anywhere they could lose the thing. To no avail.

Every place they had went to, seemed to be alright for a week or two, then the tracker was spotted. Which caused them to up and move again, then again, then again. Before they had found a high school to hold up in, they had pretty much given up on unpacking anywhere. Only using what they needed, only to return it to a box for when they left again.

Once they settled on a town not far from where the cabins were. That was close enough that one of them could go to the cabins if they needed anything. That and Wendy and Pacifica did not want to be too far from them.

They hadn't learned anymore about the talking infected. Dipper couldn't tell if they followed the tracker, or not. But according to the surveillance videos, they hadn't been near the cabins again.

The School was big, but it was solid. Dipper didn't normally cared for large places to barricade, and guard. The school had solid brick rooms, inside of brick walls. It didn't require much guarding, not once it was barricaded. Normally, he didn't make this many rounds of the school. He would make a trip or two, or Mabel would check all the doors and windows.

So. If he hardly made rounds of a building that couldn't be breached easily, why was this the fifth time?

Because Wendy, Tambry, and Pacifica were late. Once a week, they delivered food, water, and medication. Any parts that they might need for any of the equipment. Of course they visited other times, at this point it would almost take a herd of zombies to keep Pacifica away from her 'beloved'. There wasn't a set time for when they delivered, plus they had to radio to find the location of the tracker. While it hadn't become aggressive towards anything but zombies, they didn't want to risk running into it.

'They are usually here by now.' Dipper thought as he climbed the stairs. He didn't want to say he was worried but they arrived mid morning, so they could spend more time before night fall. Sometimes they would stay with them for a few days, so it would take them a little longer to get things they would want for the visit. That could be what they were planning.

Maybe planning to stay a bit longer?

'Wendy would have radioed in.' He thought to himself as he moved through the hallways, and up another flight of stairs that would take him to the roof.

Dipper looked out over the roof, planters, and built raised gardens covered the roof. They had spent weeks making this garden just so the others wouldn't have to deliver so much. Plus, what they didn't use, they could send back so it can be preserved. He walked to one of the corners of the roof, the corner that faced the way they would come.

“You up here worrying again, Broseph?” The voice caused him to jump. He turned to look at his sister. Large sweater, sweat pants, and swaddled up in at least three scarves. It was no secret Mabel didn't care much for the cold. Even now, when it wasn't even that cold outside. Not for being this far north anyways. Though, only this last year she had what she had needed. They had spent the last two years barely making it. “The infected have started moving south, there isn't many here, and the tracker thingy isn't interested in them. There's nothing to worry about.”

“They should have been here though. They've never been this late.” Dipper sighed not really sure why he was worried. Every time he worried it always turned out okay.

“Maybe they forgot what day it is. Without real clocks, and calendars, it wouldn't be hard to forget the day.” she came to him, putting her arm around his shoulders. “C'mon, lets go make some grub, and I'm sure they'll be here soon enough.”

…

Two days later and still no delivery. They had been low on food waiting for Wendy to show up with the others, though they still had food, even if food wasn't their main concern. Even Mabel now was concerned that Wendy and Pacifica hadn't shown up. Mabel thought something had to have happened, which was why they were collecting their weapons. The rest of their food that was transportable, the rest they wrapped to help it survive the cold weather. The equipment could stay here, if everything went well, they would return.

Dipper holstered his gun, and slung a rifle over his shoulder, as Mabel holstered her own weapon. Something two years ago, he never imagined that Mabel would have taken up a weapon. He was proud of his sister.

“Ready to do this?” Mabel asked as they locked up the school from the outside, and made their way to Black Beauty.

“Yeah, we need to make sure everything is fine.” Dipper got into the large truck, as Mabel got into the driver's seat. She had become quite the driver of the large vehicle. Again, she had come such a long way.

They had made their way through the city, down the streets that he and Mabel had spent hours clearing, then when the tracker started getting close, they would return to the school and wait for it to start its slow trek around the school.

The beast in itself was fast, Dipper didn't know why it slowed down and circled their location. Yet, it always found them no matter where they had gone, almost instantly. Which meant that the creature, whatever it was, could be immensely fast.

“We have the generator right?” Mabel asked. Slowing down.

“Yeah, I grabbed one of the charged solar ones.” Dipper turned to his sister.

“Good, we'll top up the gas tank before we leave town.” Mabel made a turn towards one of the gas stations. Without power, they needed the generator to power the pumps. They had to use the gas before it was too late. Most of the regular gas would expire after three years. Diesel had a year, maybe two longer than standard gasoline, but he wasn't too sure on the exact times. Which was one reason that Dipper had made it a point to get as many solar generators as he could.

While Mabel was topping up the gas, Dipper was looking for anything salvageable in the store. They tried not to clear out any of the stores of all foods. They knew what it meant to find food when they were starving, when they had nothing. So, they made sure to leave enough to feed people for at least a few days. Sometimes they left food when picking were sparse.

As for gangs, groups, and any other survivors. They hadn't seen many in months. The last time they had saw groups they were heading north. The cold weather kept the infected away. Dipper didn't know if something in the infection didn't like the cold. If what left of the humans mind tried to protect it's body from extreme weather, something primal left.

“Dipper, tanks full! What's it look like for my tummy?” Mabel called from outside the store.

His attention turned back to looking for snack. Dust covered two year old jerky, old chips, chocolate, and candy. Didn't look like anyone had been here for a long while. Luckily the gummy candies like Mabel liked tended to stay good for a while. So, he grabbed a few bags of her favorites, knowing that they wouldn't find her Gummy Koalas were, for some reason, a Gravity Falls thing. So she would have to deal with Gummy Bears. Canned soda seemed to do well over time, the bottled ones, however, did not.

“Looks like your tummy will be happy.” He gathered a few more items before making his way back to the truck. His loot in hands.

…

“This must be why Wendy and them didn't get to us.” Mabel said standing in front of the truck next to him., looking at the area in front of them.

He looked out as mud longer than the truck covered the path. The truck wouldn't be able to make it through, and neither would any of the other vehicles they had at the camp. This was a area that they were not completely familiar with. Wendy would be more familiar, since she usually drove.

“Looks like we'll have to back track, find another road back to camp.” Dipper headed back towards his truck, “We still got that map?”

“Yeah, it's in the back seats.” Mabel said climbing up into the driver's seat, and he went into the back to get the map.

Dipper unfolds the map making use of the spacious back part of the cab. He traced his fingers down the various roads, after he had found their general location. He sighed softly, letting the map go. In the city you could just take the next road, and could still get where you are going. In rural areas, you might have to back track a few miles, but would still be able to get where you want fairly easily. In the areas between far cities, it could back you up hundreds of miles to get back on track. The amount of forests, mountains without roads, made it very difficult to find a new route.

“The west is out, between lakes, and mountains, plus the lack of gas stations.” He sighed again, looking up to the ceiling, “We'd never make it. There are no roads east, not that have places we might be able to get gas. South, we'll have a chance to fuel town to town, maybe a few stores with enough to get us by. Hopefully some gas cans. That would make it much easier.”

“So, we go south?” Mabel started the engine, and turned the truck around, “So, let me know when we need to turn.”

…

Dipper wasn't exactly sure how many miles it was out of the way to go south, to get around the avalanche, though he knew that they had already hit two hundred miles. While it was the only path available to them, Dipper didn't like it. There was a lot of infected wandering around, even in the more rural areas. Now they were in a town, looking for a gas station they could get gas from, there were too many infected.

“We have to pick one, Dipper.” Mabel said pointing to the gas gauge.

“I know, we'll find one, lets just try to find a less populated one.” Though he knew that there wouldn't be much in the way of empty stations. It was almost as if the infected knew that survivors needed gas stations.


	2. Chapter 2

( Mabel Pines )

Once again Mabel found herself hiding behind something, in this case a big metal mail box as bullets wizzed past her. It seemed whenever her and Dipper went out alone, they always ended up in trouble. Didn't matter if it was the zombies, or if it was survivors. It was tiring. Dipper had been fueling the firetruck up, while she was searching the store for snacks. Well, for snacks with a decent taste. When she heard yelling and gunshots from outside, and Dipper yelling at her to take cover. From what she could make out, these people wanted the truck, and our supplies, and didn't care if they were alive or dead when it was over.

Dipper, from what she could see when she peaked her head around for a few seconds, was hiding behind the front of Black Beauty, who was doing an excellent job at being a shield. Though, Mabel didn't know how much longer she could take it.

She lifted her head over the blue mailbox to see if she could see anyone. Only to have to duck back down milliseconds before a bullet hit the top of the mailbox.

'This is not looking good.' She thought to herself, whoever was out there was very good with their weapons.

She poked her head back to see where Dipper was to find that he was no longer in her view. She didn't know if that was a good or bad thing. Had he moved to get a better shot? Had he been captured? 

'No,' She thought to herself, 'Dipper hadn't been captured. The attackers would try to get me to come out, using Dipper as bait, if that were the case.'

'Did he leave me?' she wondered to herself. Once upon a time, she wouldn't have wondered that, because he brother would have never left her side. But if it meant death? Right now, she didn't know. But she didn't want to believe that he would. This was Dipper, he risked life and limb for her, countless times. Had he finally had enough?

Black Beauty roared to life. And Dipper hopped out of the truck and climbed the side, still shielded by the massive truck. Once he was on top of the truck he grabbed something, and hit a button, switch, or something. And it sounded like Black Beauty started to growl. Then it hissed loudly. The hissing was water spraying out of whatever Dipper was holding. 

She watched as Dipper moved the water things back and forth, then noticed that while the yelling and screaming had not stopped, the gunshots had. 

“Mabel,” Dipper yelled down to her still focused on his task, “Drive!”

Mabel didn't need to be told twice, as she booked it for the truck. 

As she got in, she noticed people struggling to get up from the pressure of the water Dipper was spraying, and yelling all kinds of profanities at him. She decided not to waste anymore time as she put the truck into drive, and started to drive, slowly.

“Gun it Mabel, I'm strapped down!” Dipper called from the top of the truck.

Mabel hit the gas, and sped away from the gas station. Weaving around the cars on the roads, past zombies, that turned to watch them, then try to follow them. Though, the zombies would have no chance at catching them. Once she found a place that seemed to be void of people, and very few zombies, Mabel pulled over.

“Dip, you still up there?” Mabel called out, jumping out of the truck.

“I'm coming down, Mabel.” Dipper crawled down the side of the truck.

“What was that?” She asked curiously.

“A gang of survivors that...” He started before he was interrupted.

“No, the water thing!” She wanted to know this previously unknown function of Black Beauty.

“The water cannon. It's used to put out high fires. But effective against attackers.” Dipper said, patting her shoulder. “Let me take a look at Black beauty, and see if anything was damaged.

…

Nothing worse than a few bullet holes, and one of the compartment doors wouldn't open anymore. Luckily, the attackers wanted the truck, so she assumed that they were trying not to destroy the vehicle. At least that was a good thing. Dipper had at least managed to fill up the tank. The bad news was they hadn't had a chance to get the generator. So, while the tank was full, they wouldn't be able to again, unless they managed to find another generator. So, they were currently trying to figure out what they should do. 

They knew that they had enough gas to get back to the school, and try again. They had no clue how much farther it would take to get to the cabins. 

“Well, it's back to the school for now.” Dipper said as he started the trunk, and started back to the school. 

“Well, we know to avoid this place next time.” Mabel said leaning back, popping a few of the remaining gummy bears, that she had managed to stuff in her pocket, before the shooting started, into her mouth.

“That's a problem, The next closest town heading towards the cabins is too far.” Dipper frowned making turning onto an empty interstate.

“Hey, what about this road?” Mabel was pointing to the map as Dipper stopped the truck, to look. Not too far from the school, there was a road he hadn't paid attention to, because it didn't meet with many towns. Making it less likely to get supplies or gas. Plus the fact it was mostly a gravel road.

“That's a fire road.” He said looking at it again. It wasn't that long of a trek. The truck could make it close to two hundred miles on a full tank. If they emptied out most of the water, that might get them another fifty miles. They could always refill later.

“So, can we use it?” Mabel asked never taking her eyes off of the map.

“We might have to, once we get back to the school we can go from there.”

…

Back at the school they had managed to drain most of the water from the truck, refueled the firetruck, by the time they were finished it was starting to get dark. They locked everything back up, and went they room they slept in. It took a while for the room to heat up, with the concrete walls. While they waited they made them something to eat. Mabel had started reading one of the books she had liberated from the library, while he looked at the map. This time they would actually get the gas canisters, because this time they might just need them.

The road was long, went through a national park, and if something happened out there, it would be dark. Well, dark wasn't really the issue. In the middle of the wilderness, it would be dangerous. It would be cold. And they didn't have enough food to make a hike either way if they got caught in the middle. He did decide that he would pack the insulated tent, extra clothes, matches, and things they would need if something happened to the truck.

Dipper looked over to where Mabel was, to find her head back on the couch, book laid in her lap, and dead to the world. He looked to the clock on the wall. It was a little past nine p.m., it had been a long day. And there really wasn't much to plan. It was pretty much the same plan with more supplies, and more gas canisters.

'Guess I should go to sleep too.' he folded up the map, and got Mabel's blanket. He took the book, and laid her down on the couch. Mabel hadn't hardly even woke up. A bit of mumbling, but that was all. He laid her blanket over her, and made his way towards the other couch. He kicked off his shoes, and laid down, pulling his blanket off the back of the couch and covered himself.

( Mabel Pines )

Mabel had stopped at the beginning of the fire road. Looking at the seemingly endless looking gravel road ahead of them. Dipper had explained to her that it would be close to two hundred miles to the next town this way. A long bumpy road, where anything could be laying in wait. 

'This is it.' She thought looking over to her brother.

“We ready?” She looked back towards to road ahead.

“Well, this tuck was made for rough terrain. To be able to get almost anywhere to put out a fire. It's just going to be a long ride.” He leaned back in the seat. “Lets get this started.”

“Okay,” she started forward, while bumpy, they hardly felt it. The trucks size, and weight helped absorb some of the bumps. “This isn't so bad.”

…

'Tree, tree, tree, another tree.' Mabel thought as she continued the path. They had to pull back their speed to about thirty miles an hour, as the gravel road was a bit rougher further on. She assumed they had only taken care of the road for the first fifty or so miles. After the first three hours, she was really bored. Dipper had dozed off about and hour ago. She figured it was about time to stop, get a bite to eat, take a potty break, and change drivers.

After stopping the truck, and waking up Dipper, she dashed off into the trees to relieve her bladder. She looked around the trees and foiliage, that she assumed had been kept at bay before the infection. She could still see the truck, before she looked around to make sure no animal or infected were too near here. She wasn't so afraid of them, she could take out any of the infected, or even a wild animal with her gun. Though, she didn't want to have to be caught with her pants down, literally.

Once she was sure the coast was clear, she took down her pants and squatted down. She didn't care for the cold air whipping around her nether region. But what was she to do? It's not like there was a restroom waiting for her out here on the road. That was one of the things that she didn't like about this road. After she was finished, she pulled up her pants back up.

“That's much better.” She knew she should have stopped sooner, but she had wanted to go as far as she could before stopping. When she made it back to the truck, Dipper had already gotten a fire started, and had set up the camping stove and was cooking their lunch.

“Whatcha making, Dip?” She had made it to her brother.

“I found a few jars of chicken that Wendy's mom jarred, this morning.” She had thought they had used all of the jarred meats. But it seems a couple things had gotten pushed aside. “So, I'm making chicken soup. We can eat it for lunch, and use the thermoses so we can have some on the road.”

“Sounds great.” Mabel went to the truck to get the bowls, and the thermoses. “I can keep an eye on the soup, if you need to go and do your business.”

“Thanks, Mabel.” Dipper started to make his way towards the trees.

Mabel sat there and watched the pot as it slowly bubbled, stirring it once before looking around to make sure nothing was around. According to Dipper these roads were hardly ever used, even before everything went crazy. So, she had expected to at least see animals running about. Investigating the humans in their land. Or something.

'I thought we would at least see a deer or something,' she thought to herself as Dipper came back.

“It's a bit cold out here isn't it?” Dipper moved closer to the fire again.

“Easier for you, at least you don't have to drop your pants completely to go.” Mabel raised her eyebrow daring her brother to argue the point.

“I'm glad I'm a guy.” Dipper chuckled as she stirred the soup again.

( Dipper Pines )

Mabel had fallen asleep shortly after they had started back on their trip. He couldn't blame her it was boring. He had pulled over, and pulled out a CD player that he had found and put in one of the books on disk that he found and thought sounded interesting, before continuing their journey again. If his guess was right they were almost at the first town.

Dipper pulled off the fire road, and made his way to the town. There were a lot of infected milling about. He woke Mabel, after stopping the truck. Dipper woke up Mabel, getting her to drink some soup to wake up. 

“Dip,” Mabel was looking out the window, staring at all the infected. “There's a lot of them out there.”

“Yeah, that's why I woke you. You're gonna drive. And I'm going to get the rifle and start taking out as many as I can.” Dipper got out of the drivers seat, and moved back into the back of the cab, getting his rifle. Mabel got into the drivers seat. “Get them to follow us, get a good bit ahead of them, I'm going to get on top and start picking them off. If they start getting close, hit the horn. I'll grab onto something, and back away farther.”

“Got it, Dip.” Mabel got a smile on her face. “I got an idea!”

…

The siren blared as Mabel drove down the road, drawing all the infected behind the truck. It was a brilliant idea, he didn't even think he would have come up with it. Mabel was always the creative one. 

Once Mabel had a good enough lead, she turned the truck around facing the infected. At first he thought she was going to run them over, which would be a good idea, if they had some kind of shield on the front. But she just looked at him expecting him to do something.

“I was thinking, you lay on top of the cab, then take them out one by one. If they get close, I'll just start backing up.” She said, having came up with another great plan.

“Smart thinking, Sis.” He climbed out of the truck and on top of the firetruck.

Once he was on top of the truck he found out he could use the lights to brace the rifle on. He looked through the scope, got the first one in his cross hairs, and pulled the trigger, brains bursting out the back of it's head before it fell to the ground. Bringing the next one in his sights, before again pulling the trigger. He pulled the slide back, and pushed it back into place, reloading it.

One by one they fell. Former men, women, children. It was the kids that got to him. It was hard at first to kill infected children. It was still hard, but now it was more that he knew he had to. He would feel bad, but at the same time, he knew that it had to be done.

After thirty minutes, and Mabel backing up four times, all the infected that had followed him laid dead, and his arm was cramping. He crawled down off the top of the fire truck, getting back into the cab. 

“Alright, lets find a gas station.” Dipper said leaning back in the seat.

“You got it, Broheim.”


	3. Chapter 3

( Mabel Pines )

After Dipper had pretty much cleared out all the zombies from the top of the truck, they had navigated the town. From the looks of the town, if any one had survived, they didn't survive for long, or they had left soon after the infection. The stores looked untouched. Shelves lined with canned and boxed food. Jars of food they had never thought that they would ever see again. Rows and rows of snack cakes, bags of chips, boxes of cookies.

Mabel would have never thought that she would be excited to see a jar of pickles. She had never cared for pickles, but she was going to eat those pickles, first chance she got. Of course Wendy's mom could make pickles, but she didn't know if they would taste the same.

It wasn't just that, there was a whole bunch of things on the shelves that she hadn't even thought about in the last two years. So, after they loaded up on food. They went for drinks, juices, and other needed things.

Mabel turned a corner after going back into the grocery store and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Oh, my, God!” She almost yelled. Causing her brother to show up, gun drawn.

“What is it... Mabel...” Dipper had turned his attention to where she was looking.

Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and medication. All the comforts that they had gone without for more than two years. One of the things she learned about the apocalypse was that it stank. Everything stank. 

“Holy crap.” Dipper muttered.

“Right?” She looked over to her brother. “How much do you think we can get?”

“Well, we can't take it all. But we can come back after. This place is pretty much off the map.” his words made her frown. “But that doesn't mean we can't get a bit of it.”

…

All the stores had been like the grocery store. They would come back with the Corduroys to help gather all the tools and equipment. It didn't stop her and Dipper from picking through the weapons from the pawn shop. After Dipper had killed all those zombies, they really needed more ammo. So it had worked out.

Now they were back on the fire road, and the sun was starting to set. They had stopped, gotten out, and started to set up camp. She and Dipper had talked about if they were going to keep going, or stop for the night. At first Dipper had wanted to continue through until they got to the cabin. But they considered when they got to the cabin, and it was the middle of the night, if they'd be met with gunfire. Manly Dan and the boys didn't seem like the 'ask-questions-first' kind. 

“Sure is creepy out here, Dip.” Mabel finished stacking the fire wood, it being ready to start a fire.

“It does feel that way,” Dipper had just finished putting up the insulated tent. 

…

Something rustled in the woods near them. It had been making noise and moving about. At first she didn't worry about it, when Dipper explained that it was probably a bird, or some animals milling about. Deer were active at night. But whatever it was, it kept circling them. It was crossing the fire road out of eye sight, and kept circling. 

At first, when Dipper noticed it was circling them, she had thought that it was the Tracker. Though, it was too early for the Tracker. It usually showed up, after a few days. The shortest time it had appeared was three days after they had settled down. Wild animals didn't really stalk like this, or for this long. Zombies didn't do this either. So, that left the Tracker, less likely. Or humans.

“Alright, Mabel.” Dipper whispered collecting only the important things. They had taken out. “This has to be people.”

“I think so, too.” She whispered back. Picking up a few of her important things. The tent wasn't too important, they could always find another one. Any of the food, or the pots, even the camping stove wasn't important, and could easily be replaced. Without speaking they managed to get everything into the truck as quietly and quickly as they could. 

Dipper started the engine, the lights on the truck lit up the area in front of the truck, dozens of people stood in front of the truck, just out of sight before the lights revealed their presence. Mabel couldn't tell if they were infected or survivors. They way there were standing and watching seemed like survivors. But the way they looked filthy, a couple of them seemed to be missing limbs.

“Uh... Dipper?” She looked over to her brother, wondering why they were still sitting there.

“They are blocking the path,” Dipper looked in the side mirrors, and sighed. Causing to her look in her own side mirror, and was able to see that there were people behind them as well. “Behind us too.”

'What now?' She wondered, her hand moving to the gun at her hip. From what she could see of the people, the only weapons they carried were spears, bats, a few swords. Nothing that would hurt Black Beauty, other than a few scratched and dents anyways. The sound of the air horn blasting brought her out of her thoughts, causing her to move her hand from her gun. Dipper blew the horn again, before rolling down the window.

“Move, or I'll go through you.” Dipper yelled out the window. 

Mabel wondered what all these people were doing out in the middle of no where. Couldn't have come from the town, they would have gathered up most of the weapons, and food. 

“We're hungry! We'll not let you pass!” One of the men in the middle yelled. Were these people insane? Did they think that they could actually stop Black Beauty? “The Immortals will stop you!”

“Immortals?” Mabel wondered aloud.

“Crazy idiots. I gave them a chance.” Dipper shifted the truck into drive, and stomped on the gas.

…

The man who spoke had managed to get out of the way, but he had felt the bumps of the few that hadn't been too lucky. He had expected them to give chase, but didn't. Something to at least attempt to catch them, after what they had said. He didn't know who the Immortal they spoke of, were. It didn't matter, they couldn't stop them.

Dipper slowed down after he had gotten a good distance away. In the dark, there was no way he would continue driving that fast, it wasn't safe. There could be a downed tree, or a hole that had sunk into the ground. Instead, he would drive at a steady pace. 

“Dipper, what was that?” Mabel asked him sounding worried. Heck, he was worried. He didn't know what that was.

“I'm not sure, Mabel. Crazy people.” He kept his eyes on the road. “Mabes, Make a note on the map, just past that town, about those crazy people. And that other town too. So we can remember to avoid those places.”

“So, we'll drive in shifts, we're not stopping on the road again.” Mabel told him, and he couldn't agree more.

They should be at the cabin in a couple hours, even driving this slow. They would have to wait down the road from the cabins until the sun came up. They didn't want to risk angering the Corduroy men. Mabel had opened a bag of chips and ate a couple before offering some to him, which he took a few to munch on while driving.

“So, you looking forward to seeing Wendy?” Mabel asked with a snicker in her voice.

“About as much as you are to see Pacifica.” Dipper snickered back, knowing his sister's face was red. Mabel was uncharacteristically quiet which meant he had won this one. Not a big defeat, but against Mabel, it was better than losing.

“Anyways,” Mabel cleared her throat. “I am looking forward to one of Wendy's mom's sandwiches.” Mabel changed the subject, and Dipper decided not to push.

…

Dipper had stopped just before the gate that had been built with the fence around the cabins and it's land. Mabel asleep on blankets, on the floor, in the cab in the back. He shifted the truck into part, looking down at the gas gauge. It was under half a tank. He didn't want to waste the gas, but he didn't want them to be cold either. Sunrise wouldn't be for another four hours.

He could always try the CB radio. He reached up, turning on the CB, turning the knob to the channel they used.

“This is Dipper. Anyone awake in the Corduroy camp?” He asked into the handset.

Nothing but static answered him. Which was what he had expected.

“Dip? Where are we?” Mabel sat up from her little nest, then crawled up into the front seat, closer to the heater vent.

“The cabins, but I think everyone is asleep.” Dipper looked out the windshield, he could see light coming from the cabins between the trees. Which meant, someone was awake.

“This is Dipper, and Mabel. Anyone awake?” He called into the handset.

“Dipper?” A voice came over the radio, sounded like Tambry, and sounded like she was tired. “This is Tambry. I'll wake someone up to come open the gates.”

Not long after Tambry had answered, this large shape started coming from the camp. To anyone else they might have thought it was a bear coming out of the woods. Or some other kind of beast. But he and Mabel knew different. They knew it could only be Manly Dan, Wendy's father. At first he thought it was just him, until two other shapes came running past the larger one. Dipper wasn't sure until the two shadows walked into the light.

The redhead had a big smile on her face as she ran towards the gate. The blonde carried a similar smile, as she too ran towards the gate to let them in. Mabel bounced in her seat as she set her eyes on Pacifica. As she and Wendy fought to open the gate. Until Manly Dan made it to the gate, grabbed it with one hand, and with Pacifica, and Wendy holding onto it, pulled it open. Dipper put the truck into drive and pulled through the gate, and parked it near the cabin that he, Mabel, Wendy, and Pacifica.

Mabel darted out of the door before he could even shift it into park. No doubt going to meet Pacifica half way. He turned off the engine and got out of the truck, Wendy came around the corner as he closed the door. He had a smile on his face as he stood there, until he realized she wasn't going to stop running towards him, her arms stretched out.

“Wait... Wait... Wend... ooof,” Dipper hit the ground as Wendy tackled him.

“Gotcha!” Wendy smirked as she laid on him, then gave him a big kiss.


	4. Chapter 4

( Dipper Pines )

Dipper awoke that morning feeling more refreshed than he had in months. He had enjoyed the company of the love of his life. Not even in a sexual way, he had just missed her being there. Being close to the woman that he loved. That, and their bed was a lot more comfortable than the sofa that he had been sleeping on. 

They hadn't been able to get in quietly, thanks to the truck's engine. The noise of the big diesel engine, entering the camp, had woken everyone that was sleeping. He hadn't wanted to wake everyone, but he wouldn't lie, the food that had been presented to him had been the most delicious thing he had in months. 

As it had turned out, Manly Dan, and the boys had been preparing to try to get to the town, he and Mabel had been in, as soon as they found a map. Wendy had wanted to tag along for the trip, but had been turned down. Manly Dan didn't want to risk her running off on her own to find Dipper. Manly Dan knew his daughter, and loved her, but knew she was strong willed, and head strong. Dipper had to agree with him, not that he would aloud, anywhere near earshot of Wendy.

“Feels good to be home,” Dipper sighed looking back at Wendy curled up in bed. Even if it was temporary. Until they figured out what the Tracker was, they couldn't risk the only sane survivors that they knew of.

He stepped out of the cabin, and noticed Wendy's father, and brothers were busy with something. Soos was working on what looked like a giant inverter. Was he putting up solar panels? 

“Hey, Soos! Missed you last night.” Dipper approached his long time friend, who was like an older brother to him. Soos was a heavy sleeper, and couldn't be woken when they had arrived.

“Hey, Dude! They said you were here, and tried to wake me. Crazy right?” Soos laughed. Again, Dipper thought that Soos could sleep through a nuclear blast. “Glad you made it back. But I wasn't worried. My Bro Dipper can make it through anything. So, where's Hambone?”

“Probably drooling on Pacifica's arm while sleeping.” Dipper laughed, his sister was a great person, and was usually first up. But lately, she had been sleeping in, and lazing about. Then again, she had spent a lot of time reading before bed. So, he wasn't sure how late she might have been staying up reading. Or if she had been up with Pacifica, for other reasons.

Dipper shuttered thinking about when he had walked in on the two of them. Again, he mentally reminded himself not to tease Mabel, it got to them both.

“Anyways. Are you putting up solar panels?” Dipper looked at the inverter.

“Yeah, Dude. I thought, since I'm not good with farming and junk. And Tambry doesn't want me to help in the clinic anymore. Seems she didn't want the pills sorted by color. I thought it made it easier. Anyways. I though if I could get power going, without having to use up all the gas, it might make everyone happier.”

“You'll need more than panels, and an inverter. For nights, and winter.” Dipper offered, he didn't assume that Soos was dumb, far from it. Soos had just learned his own way to do these things, and thought differently. 

“I got a couple big batteries from town. Wasn't too hard to find. Just had to look for the houses with solar panels.” Soos had went back to wiring. “Took me a while to realize that. I had been going to big neighborhoods, and going house to house.”

“At least I'm sure you found some interesting stuff.” Dipper offered his larger friend.

“Oh, I found a BIG tv. Dan said he was going to build another cabin, just for movie nights. Find a popcorn machine and all. That will be so wicked.” Soos started to get more and more distracted with the device.

“Imma go talk to Tambry, I got stuff for her, and Mrs Corduroy.” Dipper wandered off to the clinic/Tambry's Cabin. He knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. He knew the clinic part was on the ground floor, and Tambry's room was in the basement. But after walking in on Pacifica, and Mabel, he was always going to knock now.

“Who knocks on the clinic... Oh.” Tambry smirked a mischievous smile. “I know why you're knocking. Anyways, whatcha need? Did you get hurt or something? Love bites from my BFF?”

“N-No! Nothing like that...” He stammered, and his face heated up. “No... Me and Mabel found a town on the way here, that was untouched. We have loads of medicine, and first aid stuff.”

“Wait... Whole town? Pharmacy?” Dipper nodded, “Hospital?” Dipper nodded again. “Oh, do you remember the town? Which one?”

“Yeah, I marked it on the map.” Dipper smiled leading a skipping Tambry to what they had gathered, that was still in the firetruck. “There is a weird group between us and the town. So, we shouldn't go back without the Corduroys.”

No doubt the large lumberjacks would make a group like that think twice. Not to mention his ax throwing girlfriend. Sword weilding Pacifica, who's fencing lessons had come in handy.

They would decide that when the time came. 

“Dipper... All of this stuff will come in handy.” Tambry looked through the boxes. “And you're sure there's more?”

“Very sure.”

…

They were driving back to the school, after leading the rest of the camp to the two in the middle of the fire road. They had stayed long enough to help pack things up, stock up on things they would need. A couple of days were all they could risk. They knew the Tracker would soon find them once again. 

While in that town, they had been looking for farming equipment that could be used at the camp, and they had found it. They had also found machines to clear the landslide. Many Dan had said him and the boys would clear it as soon as they could, before it got too cold. The fire road worked, but getting stranded that far from a town was deadly if something happened to a vehicle.

Pulling up to the school, they noticed first that someone had been there. Dipper looked at Mabel, who returned his look. She had her weapon out, as he was pulling his. Silently, they got out of the truck, and make their way into the school. The groaning told them that there was infected in the school. The question was, did the infected find their way in, or did the infected chase someone in?

Normally, most people wouldn't think that it was a priority to know how the infected got in. Dipper had his reasons. If the infected got in on their own, they could take them out. But if there was a person, or persons in the school they had to be careful. With infected running about, they would be in a 'shoot first, ask questions later' mood.

Once inside they were able to hear a lot more groans, and the blood trail pretty much told him they infected chased someone inside. He pulled his sister back, pointing to the blood trail, and the shuffled foot prints in the blood. She nodded her head, and followed him, as he followed the blood. Odds were, the infected trying to get to the bleeding person, or people.

The trail had lead to what was left of a couple people. There were infected still eating the corpse. So far, they had been spared the sight of the infected actually feeding on a person. The face of the person seemed to be locked in it's last scream, or it's jaw had been broken. Bits of flesh, and organs were on the floor around the corpses, where the infected had clawed at it's prey, before eating it.

Dipper aimed his gun and fired once, re-aimed, then fired again, killing both of the feeding infected. He watched their brains, or what was left of their brains, spatter against the floor, and wall behind them. The second shot, it had turned to growl at him. They would have to clean this up. Then board off the room. They didn't want to risk infection if they didn't clean well enough.

More growling came from the hall behind them.

“Lets clear the rest.” Dipper said grimly, looking back at the corpses.

“Lets do it.” Mabel seemed, like he was, on the verge of throwing up.

…

“Dipper!” Mabel screamed as she was fighting off one of the infected, while he himself was also fighting off one of the infected. 

“Mabel... Mabel! I'm coming!” Dipper pushed the infected off of him, and dove for either his or Mabel's gun that was one the floor. He rolled and aimed the gun at the infected Mabel was trying to hold off. He fired, but fired too late as the thing sunk it's teeth into Mabel's arm. “NO!”

The infected fell and Mabel fell with it, who jumped up. Just as Dipper screamed out due to the other infected person bit into his shoulder. A gunshot echoed through the school, and Dipper felt the teeth leave his shoulder.

“Dipper!?” She was by his side. “Dipper are you...”

“Mabel.” He started, but he knew that she saw his shoulder, He watched as she looked at her arm.

“We're going to turn into one of those things now, aren't we?” Mabel asked, she was a lot calmer than he was feeling.

“I...” They had seen infected with bite marks, but they still hadn't seen anyone turn. But the fact was, this virus spread some how. And biting was the only delivery method he could think of. “I think so.”

“Oh... should we?” She started.

“No. We'll chain our selves in.” He started to get up, and Mabel helped him. “We'll leave a note, letting everyone know we're in here. And what happened.”

“We won't be alone, at least.” Mabel offered.

“Lets go get patched up.” Not that it really mattered. But some pain killers, and bandaged might make them more comfortable before they died, and became infected.

…

A day had passed, and other than a dull ache, nothing was happening. Maybe it took time before the infection spead? He wasn't sure, but they should at least begin feeling sick. Or something. 

Mabel had been putting antibiotic cream on the bite marks, and changing both of their bandages, the bite marks which had started healing, or at least Mabel said she thought so.

They had eaten in silence, neither of them knowing what was going to happen.

…

Then another day had passed, they had started to begin to feel ill. 

…

Mabel had started feeling nauseous shortly before he had.

“Dipper... Dip... I...” Mabel started throwing up something black. It didn't look like anything that they had eaten.

“Mab...” He vomitted the same stuff as he saw his sister fall to the ground. He wanted to yell out for her, but he felt himself falling. He was going down as well.

'This is it,' Dipper thought to himself, as the world went black.


	5. Chapter 5

( Wendy Corduroy )

Wendy tossed the last bag into her truck. It had been two weeks since Dipper and Mabel had went back to the school. Her father and brothers had went to clear the mudslide, and arrived back two days ago. They had never been to the school themselves, so they didn't know how to find it, though they had tried. They figured that with a giant black truck, it wouldn't be hard to spot, they had underestimated the size of that city. They had used the CB radio to try to contact them. Which had the range to get to the school. They never got an answer. So, she was going to find out if they were okay.

While she hadn't insisted on going alone, she was told that she wasn't allowed to go alone. She had always planned to bring Pacifica with her. Honestly, it wasn't like she would win that argument with the blonde anyways. What she hadn't expected was Tambry to come along with her. Insisting that if something was wrong, they might need first aid. Her father, and Soos were coming too. Her brothers wanted to come, but also didn't want to leave the children, and their mother alone.

Tambry and Pacifica were already in the truck, and her father and Soos were in her father's truck. As she hopped in. She took a deep breath.

'Everything is alright.' She thought to herself. 'They were just busy, or had been away from the city scavenging another city that day'

Wendy started the engine, and drove out the gate where her brothers, her mother, and the children were waiting and waving, The gate closed right after her father's truck went through.

“We should have went back to the school with them.” Wendy said softly, as she started to let dark thoughts creep into her mind.

“We don't even know if anything is wrong, Wen.” Tambry had put her hand on her shoulder from the back seat. “We'll get there, and everything will be fine.”

“Yeah. Tam-Tam is right...” Pacifica started.

“No. No Tambers, No Tam-Tam.” Tambry interupted.

“Anyways, but she's right. Mabel just probably left the walkie off the charger.” Pacifica finished.

“You're right. You both are.” Wendy sighed a bit, and picked up the CB radio. Now that her brothers, and father had cleared the roads to the city. They were only about fifty miles away. She pushed the button on the handset. “Try to keep up, Dad.”

Wendy hit the gas, and the truck took off down the road, towards the city. Her father's truck not far behind.

…

The trucks screeched to a halt in front of the school, in front of the fire truck. Everything looked normal, she thought as she got out the truck. Followed by Pacifica, and Tambry from the back of the cab. Soos and her father had gotten out of their truck and had joined them.

“Doesn't look like the trucks been moved recently.” Dan had bent down inspecting the leaves that had accumulated at the wheels of the truck.

“And the windows are dusty, they would have cleaned it.” Soos commented as he ran his finger across the wind shield.

“They had ample food and supplied.” Tambry mentioned, seemingly trying to push bad thoughts away.

“Lets just find out.” Pacifica started towards the door they used to the school.

Wendy followed her to to entrance, noticing that Pacifica has stopped. Then noticed the note in a plastic bag attached to the door. Pacifica grabbed the bag, while Wendy tried the door. It only opened a little before stopping, and she could see the chains, chaining it closed.

“They never chain this door.” Wendy said, as Pacifica opened the plastic bag, pulling out the note that said read first on it. While the others had names on it..

“Oh no. 'Wendy, Pacifica, and everyone.'” Pacifica started reading the note. “'This is to inform everyone that by the time you read this, me and Mabel are probably gone. Inside the bag are notes to everyone. When we returned, infected had followed survivors into the school, who was running from the infected. We thought we had cleared the room, turned out we missed some. Mabel and I were bitten. We decided instead of taking our lives, that we'd live inside the school. Where we could be together, and not harm anyone.'”

“Bitten?” Wendy looked at her, before taking the paper to read the note herself. While Pacifica was tearing up, looking for her note in the plastic bag.

“Dipper? No, Hambone, and my Bro can't be zombies.” Soos was in tears already.

“We gotta go in.” Wendy felt herself shaking. She had to see. The words meant nothing to her. This was a world where word lied. She needed to see this for herself.

“I... I can't. M...Mabel.” Pacifica was kneeling on the ground holding the letter from Mabel to her chest.

“I'm go with you, Wen.” Tambry stood beside her. Tambry was her oldest friend, and she appreciated that Tambry would go with her.

“I'm coming too, Honey.” Her father moved to the door.

“I'll stay here and keep Pacifica safe.” Soos said, still sniffling, still upset. She was sure that he didn't want to see his little friend turned into zombies. She couldn't blame him, she didn't want to see it either. But she had to make sure. She would never believe it unless she saw it for herself.

Her father pulled the door hard, she heard the links from the chain hit the floor as the chain was broken. Her father just stood there waiting for her, Tambry too. It was her idea.

“Lets do this.” She walked in, the first time she noticed was the old brown blood smears one the ground, so that was what she followed first. She prepared herself for what she was going to find. When she walked into the room, she smelled it before she, saw it. Her heart stopped as she saw the torn bodies, and the dead zombies.

“They wrote the notes.” Tambry pulled her out of her thoughts.

“Huh?” Wendy turned to Tambry.

“They wrote the letters, this can't be them.” Wendy looked back at the corpses.

“Oh yeah.” She felt stupid. But left the room. They had to be the survivors.

They made their way to the room the Mabel and Dipper had used as their living room, and their room when she and Pacifica were not visiting. The door was closed. She put her hand on the handle. Before she felt a hand on her arm.

“Your gun.” her father said sadly, “Just in case. I didn't know them too well. But I know, they would rather you kill them, than to hurt a friend.”

Wendy pulled her handgun out, and turned the handle pushing the door open. She looked inside before stepping in, followed closely by Tambry and her father. She looked around the room, it all looked normal, except the black stuff on the floor. Then she noticed them. Both on the same couch under a blanket.

'Did they die, and not turn?' She wondered as she got closer. She could see the blanket rising and falling.

“They're alive!” Wendy rushed to them. Patting Dippers shoulder.

“Ungh...” Dipper's eyes opened looking at her. “No... we... we were bitten.”

“When?” Tambry had knelt down next to him, checking his temperature, and his blood pressure.

“Uh... two days ago?” Dipper mumbled.

“Your note said you got bitten after coming back.” Wendy said.

“Yeah...” Dipper mumbled before Tambry moved to Mabel, who was starting to sit up.

“That was two weeks ago.” Tambry said, then turned to the others. “They both have a fever, They show no sign of changing.”

“How do you know?” Wendy asked her friend.

“Couple of the guys at Robbie's camp got bitten. It took a day, at most. It's been two weeks. They might be immune.” Tambry turned to Dan. “I don't think they've eaten anything for a while. But luckily they've been drinking water.” She gestured to the empty water bottles scattered around the couch.

“What's the odds of them both being immune?” Wendy asked

“They're twins. If one's immune, odds are that they both would be. Most virus' have a ten percent immunity rate among people.” Tambry muttered. “Did we bring any of that soup from lunch?”

“I don't know. I'll go look and get Soos, and Pacifica,” Dan started to the door. “Wendy, you know where they cook, see if you can make something for them. Just in case we don't have any.”

…

Her father had moved the bodies outside, in a full hazmat suit, along with Tambry and Soos, cleaning and moping the hallways. They had moved the bodies down the street and burned them. Dipper and Mabel had been doing a bit better now that they had been eating. She worried that neither her, Pacifica, or Tambry have the instincts for this. Which was why her father was going back to get her mother.

Wendy wasn't insulted by his offer, and she accepted it wholeheartedly. Her mother should be arriving shortly.

Tambry would be staying to monitor the twins health, and Soos would be staying to help guard the school. Pacifica, you couldn't pry her away from Mabel's side.

They had moved the couches, and drug in beds from the other rooms. They agreed Dipper and Mabel would be more comfortable on them than the couches.

“Get back in bed.” Pacifica called out causing Wendy to turn.

Mabel was getting up from her bed, just looking at Pacifica, who was trying to get her to lay back down.

“I gotta pee, Paz. So, let me up, or Imma pee in the bed.” Mabel sounded grumpy, and serious.

“I'll help you.” Pacifica was now helping her up.

“Alone. Together. Doesn't matter, lets go.” Mabel muttered as she was helped out the door.

“She's awful grumpy.” Wendy chuckled a little.

“Try getting bit by an infected person.” Dipper smiled slightly. “Then throwing up that black stuff.”

“Yeah, what was that? Tambry took samples of it. We managed to get some of the equipment in the science lab moved to a room near us, and some from the hospital. She was testing it. She said it was the virus. That you and Mabel's body rejected it.” Wendy looked down at him. “How did you even let them get the jump on you?”

“We were tired, and thought that we'd cleared the school. They didn't even make noise.” Dipper mumbled before dozing off.

She knew that Tambry had them on some antibiotics, and some pain meds still because their bite marks still hurt. So, she wasn't surprised when Dipper dozed off. He had a few times before. They were still weak, and had only been able to hold down broth, until recently. At least their fevers had broke.

( Mabel Pines )

Mabel had managed to escape Pacifica for a short time. She was currently on the roof hiding behind a planter looking out at the city. She loved the girl. She really, really, did. Lately, however, Pacifica was smothering her. Every time she tried to get up, she was right there. Helped her change her clothes. Helped her to the bathroom. She did allow her to do that part without assistance. But when Pacifica started trying to feed her, that was enough.

Yes, she understood that Pacifica was clingy because of the bites.

Yes, she and Dipper had been bitten, and survived. It seemed the virus didn't really like them all that much. Tambry had a long medical term, and crap for it, but the gist was, the virus didn't like them. She didn't know if she should be relieved or offended. Though, she was glad that she wasn't a zombie.

She really didn't want to eat people.

Something howled not far from her. It sounded like it was right near the school. It sounded like a wolf, though bigger some how. She crawled over to the edge of the roof, and looked over the edge. Her eyes swept over Black Beauty, and the trucks from camp. And again, no zombies.

'Why were there never any zombies?' She wondered to herself.

Yes, they had been bitten by zombies in the school, but before that? No zombies. Ever since they had left the camp, they entered towns with a bunch of zombies. But after they had been there for a while... no more zombies. It always happened around the same time that...

Another howl.

Mabel's eyes moved to the sound.

It looked kind of like the Tracker from the camp, but smaller. Something the size of a large dog. It was even more canine like than the other one. The other looked like a bear.

But the Tracker had never come this close to the school.

A groan caught her attention, a few zombies were walking up the road. The Tracker growled and charged the zombies. Before the zombies had a chance to move, the tracker had bit the zombie's chest, twisting it's body, throwing it several feet. The zombie's head smashed into a nearby car. The second, it simply bit it's head off, then dropping it on the ground. Before howling again.

Mabel stood there wide eyed. The Tracker!

The zombies disappeared around the same time that the Tracker had arrived. She had to tell Dipper. Mabel got up and started running towards the door. One moment she was looking at the door, the next she was looking at the Tracker right in front of her. She started at it, it stared at her.

'Oh crap, oh crap...' Mabel thought.

The creature whined.

“What?” Mabel tilted her head.

It moved closer to her, slowly, it's head bowed, as if it were an actual dog. She reached out, thinking that it might be a bad idea. It pushed it's muzzle into her hand.

'It wanted to be petted?' Mabel wondered.

“I got a zombie puppy, that eats zombies!” Mabel yipped.


	6. Chapter 6

( Mabel Pines )

Mabel had checked the creature out. It didn't look much different from a big wolf. It's teeth looked longer than a normal wolf, but she wasn't sure, she had never really paid attention to dog's teeth before. At first she had expected it to be aggressive. From what she had seen it had been towards the zombies. And the one by the cabins...

'It was only aggressive to the zombies too.' She thought about what Dipper had said, 'Actually, it should have already found us.', 'In all logic, we should have returned to camp, and everyone should have been dead' 

Dipper had said that he didn't know why the Tracker hadn' went to the camp yet. Maybe it wasn't aggressive like Dipper had thought. Only to Zombies. Maybe something was different with the animals that turned into what they called Tracker, Dipper would know. She didn't know how to ask Dipper. It wasn't like the time she had found a kitten and hid it under her bed. Dipper had helped her keep the secret then. But a Tracker?

'I just need to explain how useful he is.' Mabel thought, then tilted her head.

“You need a name.” She stood next to the animal, noting how it's back came to her shoulder. While she wasn't very tall herself, this made him very big. A wolf that's back came to her shoulders, and whose head was the same height as her, was very big. 

The canine whined, and tilted it's head. Maybe in question.

“I guess you want a name, huh?” Mabel amused herself in pretending the wolf understood her.

He wolfed softly.

“Fine,” She humored himself. “How about Puppy?”

The wolf snorted, and sounded unpleased.

“How about... Harold?” Mabel asked.

He snorted again.

“Hey! Harold is a great name!” Mabel exclaimed, and the wolf snorted again in amusement.

“We'll think of something. For now, we'll call you Wolfy, until we find a good name for you.” She sighed and looked back to the door leading back into the school. “Now? We gotta break you to the others.”

…

Mabel had gathered the others in their sitting room, they were all sitting there, looking at her. Waiting for her to tell them what she had come there for. Though, she didn't know how to explain this. If she had of spoken to Paz... No, she would have flipped her cookies. Wendy might would have understood. Dipper? He would understood if he let her explain, but she wasn't sure he would have let her finish explaining. Wolfy could be useful.

'Just like Black Beauty, Dipper hadn't seen the value at first.' She thought to herself.

Mabel looked around the room, and at all the faces looking back at her. Wanting her to tell them what she had wanted to tell them. She wished she had taken the time to think up what she was going to say, rather than to run down and yell that she had big news. Because, now, they were curious why she wasn't talking, one of the things she loved.

“Mabel, what was so important?” Wendy asked, breaking the silence that had crept through the room.

“Did you throw up again, Mabel?” Pacifica was now at her side, hand on her forehead.

“No. I didn't. A tracker...” She started.

“Has the Tracker come back? It's a little late.” Dipper said thoughtfully then tilted his head. “Is it near the school? It never comes near the school.”

“Yes. It's here, but...” She started again.

“Here? Like, here, here?” Tambry looked around, making Mabel think Tambry had expected the creature to appear out of no where.

“Yeah, it's on the roof, and he is...” She started.

Dipper pulled his gun out of it's holster, and Soos, and Wendy followed suit as they made for the door. Mabel jumped up and stood in the doorway. One hand on each door jam blocking the way out of the room. Everyone just stared at her, and Pacifica tried to pull her away. Maybe her girlfriend thought that she had lost her mind. Maybe she had lost her mind.

“Wolfy isn't bad, he eats zombies! He didn't attack me. He even let me pet him.” Mabel said loudly. “Just come see. I'll show you.”

…

“Wolfy?” Mabel looked out at the empty roof. There was nothing. No sign that the giant canine had been there. Everyone was looking at her as if she had lost her mind. “I know what you guys are thinking. 'Ol Mabel flipped her biscuits.' But I'm telling you guys, Wolfy was up here.”

“Mabel, I...” Dipper looked at her, hen sighed. “I'm not saying you didn't see what you said. But Mabes. There's nothing up here.”

Pacifica moved to her side, placing on hand on Mabel's shoulder, and another on her forehead. Pacifica motioned for Tambry to join them. Once Tambry had made it to her, she used some thing from her bag and put it to her forehead, and pushed a button. The machine started beeping.

“Mabel, you're burning up.” Tambry told her. “C'mon, lets get you to bed.”

“Mabel, my Sweets. We're not saying you didn't see anything, but with your temperature being so high, you might have hallucinated. Which doesn't mean you lied. Come on, Tambry's right, you need to get to bed.” Pacifica started leading her back to the door that lead back inside the school. 

Wolfy felt so real... had she really imagined it? It was hard to believe, but she knew that it could happen. She remembered a time when they were little, and Dipper had gotten really sick, and had a fever. He thought he had seen a lot of things that wasn't real. So, she could have imagined the whole thing.

'It felt so real though.' She thought to herself as she was laid in bed. Given a couple pills that they told her would help lower her fever, given some water. As she laid there, she thought about it. It did seem rather crazy now that she thought about it. Giant zombie eating wolf. Ha.

( Dipper Pines )

Dipper wandered around the roof top garden, while most of the plants had been wrapped, and covered, it was still peaceful. He enjoyed Wendy and Pacifica being there, along with Soos and Tambry. Wendy's mother and father visited from time to time, another thing he was grateful for, it meant more of the delicious food she prepared. However, he had not know how much he had begun to enjoy the quiet there had been when it was only Mabel.

Now, he still loved Wendy, and her family, that wasn't a question. For the past two years there had been so much noise and chaos that he hadn't even noticed how much he enjoyed the solitude he and his sister had shared. 

He made another round of the roof. Not finding anything unusual. Mabel seemed sure that she had seen a giant wolf on the roof of the school. Even now she still insists that she saw something. He sighed, as he walked to the edge, looking over at the street below. Dipper wanted to prove that Mabel thought something.

Dipper turned to leave when he heard something. Something so familiar, but something that had fallen into the past. A sound only they made. He turned and looked out towards where the noise was coming from. Nothing was in that direction, except abandoned cars, and trash being blown by the wind. 

'Am I hearing things now?' He wondered to himself, as the sound was getting louder. 

“Hey, Dip.” Wendy called from the door.

“Shh,” Dipper held a hand back, as the sound got closer.

A white van pulled around the corner, and stopped in front of the school. Wendy came to join him at the top of the school. After a few minutes the doors opened. A thin man in a tweed jacket got out of the divers seat, and round framed glasses. He looked around before looking back into the van. Another man got out of the passengers seat.

“What? That's not...” Dipper looked to Wendy, whose mouth was hanging open. She saw the same thing, she saw what he was seeing.

“Is that Mr. Pines?” Wendy whispered. “I thought that you said that you had to...”

“I did.” Dipper continued to stare. He had killed his great uncle, after he had turned into a zombie. Yet, there he was.

“Are you sure this is the place, Ford?” The thin man from the drivers street asked.

“Yes, Fiddleford. This is where the anomaly deviated. I should have destroyed it when it showed signs of being defective.” His Grunkle Stan said, but the skinny man called him Ford. What could that mean? “But I was in a hurry then.”

“What exactly did you create them for?” The man called Fiddleford asked.

“To find a special type of people.” Ford looked around, his eyes focusing on the firetruck, “Without them... Well, you saw the hybrids. Lets search for the defect. I suspect that there are not any people I'm looking for around here. This defect is probably why I was getting readings all over this area.”

He and Wendy watched the men get back into the vehicle, and drive down the street the school was on, before turning a corner away from the school, and disappeared. Dipper continued to watch, as if the vehicle could come back at any moment. There was a way that the Grunkle Stan lookalike looked at the firetruck, and looked like he realized something. He had told the lanky man that he didn't think there were anyone he was looking for around this area, but was that because he knew they were up on the roof listening?

Also, Maybe Mabel wasn't seeing things. They even said that an anomaly became defective around here. If Dipper was right, it was a Tracker, that wasn't acting right. One befriending his sister, would fit that category.

“It's time to leave.” He said standing up. “Mabel and I are well enough to travel. I don't know what's going on with that lookalike. But that's not Stan. I... I know it. I don't want to be around when, if, they get back.

“Alright.” Wendy said, no arguments. No hesitation. 

…

They packed everything they could, having to make tough choices on what to leave behind. The trucks, and the firetruck could only hold so much. He and Mabel had amassed so many things in their stay. The plants on the roof would have to stay. There wasn't anything to harvest from them anymore, and wouldn't be until spring. So, the garden wasn't something they would regret leaving behind. The weapons would come with them, they couldn't be left. Not only did they need them, they couldn't leave them for that Stan lookalike to get. Even though Dipper was sure that that man had more dangerous weapons.

The games and entertainment that they had managed to gather. Board games from their youth. Books that he and Mabel had enjoyed reading. Things that would take up precious room. Extra clothing would have to be left. 

It was like the beginning all over again, grabbing everything they needed to go. How many times would they have to pick up and leave? 

Before?

They had hope of some survival. Hope that turned out to be the Corduroys. 

The camp. 

Then the Trackers, and the talking zombies, came.

Now? They didn't even have that hope, if they wanted to keep those people live. They couldn't even go home, not if they wanted them to be safe. Where would they go now?

The only place that made sense.

The one place that they knew better than anywhere else.

“Got everything?” Wendy called from behind him, a pack slung over her shoulder.

“Yeah. I guess it's time to go back to Gravity Falls.”


End file.
